By Your Side
by Shadowfox83
Summary: Months after the events of Rebirth Haseo recalls just how much his life has changed and how a relationship was forged with a certain someone in and out of The World. Slight AU, spoilers for GU Vol.1


**By Your Side**

**A .Hack//GU Fanfic**

**By: Shadowfox83**

**Disclaimer:** All .Hack characters are property of their original owners (Cyber Connect 2, Bandai, etc) I'm merely borrowing them for this short story.

**Author's Note:** Because of Valentine's Day and recently finishing Vol. 1 of the GU series, I decided to take my first shot at the .Hack series. Also while I know a few things of Vol. 2 most of this will follow my own ideas, so I suppose you can think of it as an "AU" of sorts. Spoilers are also bound to occur, just a word of warning for those not done with "Rebirth".

A few months after the confrontation with Tri-Edge/Azure Flame God 

'I was always told by my father that love in general was something you couldn't control, something you couldn't see coming, and much less prepare for even if you wanted to.'

Upon exiting "The World" then proceeding to shut down his computer, the young male begins to prepare himself for the appointment he has set later in the day…

'Love…it was something I believed I had gained a long time ago…but that's nothing but a memory now…a faded and fractured one at that. Even now I'm not a single step closer to accomplishing that goal then I was all those months ago…it still hurts thinking about it.'

The youth now clothed completely in his new attire, a white perfectly ironed shirt along with slick black pants, better suited for the occasion heads toward the kitchen grabbing a fresh apple from a nearby fruit bowl…

'Then she came along…she…she who looked just like _her_. She tore me apart with her image and her pacifistic ideals…ideals that went against my principles at the time and angered me to no end because of the face that spoke those words to me.'

He had finished most of the fruit by the time his boots were properly put on. The boy knew it was almost time and it was best not to keep them waiting. So with that said he exited his home a minute or two later; munching away at the remaining portion of the apple held within his hand as he locked up with the other…

'She cared for me and I know that now…but back then she was perhaps just a replacement. And I was so blinded by that vision of the past that I failed to realize she was her own individual…perhaps if I had said something done something differently things wouldn't be as they are now…'

As he continues on his way through town, the male youth finds himself at his first pit stop. Just one of the two detours he must make before reaching the location of his appointment…

'Twice I had failed…first with her then she fell as well…was it really my destiny to curse any and all women who got close to me? Father said it wasn't my fault that it couldn't be help and was all a cruel twist of fate…but I couldn't shake the guilt I felt. I was always viewed as this strong-willed and powerful individual yet in reality I couldn't do a thing to change their destinies or my own for that matter…yet Fate would give me one more chance…'

The boy walks out of the moderately sized flower shop holding with him a bouquet of red roses as he waved causally good-bye to the shop keep. With one item in hand the other needed to be found thus he set forth toward his next destination in this "side-quest" of sorts…

'Our first meeting was a rather awkward one…to be honest we were at each other's throats that time now that I think about it. But _she_ has always been that way, headstrong, iron-willed, and beyond stubborn on many occasions…remind you of anyone? In any case it would be her who I would seem to find some peace with…ironic in a way.'

Still continuing on his pre-determined path, the youth notices several children playing cheerfully in a nearby park. The boy smiles slightly, even if said expression appears to be in a rather bored fashion for he was never too good with kind emotions…

'During the Arena Tournament we fought one another. She who wanted vengeance against the man whom she claimed stole the crown from her, I myself simply wanted to advance and fight said man. Not only to showcase my own power but because in doing so I would come one step closer to my ultimate goal…or so I was told.'

'I defeated her only after she gave me the ass beating of a lifetime, Heh only she and the infamous PKer have ever beaten me within an inch of my virtual life. GU and the old man don't count…they were just too stubborn to fall that's all. Regardless I had to "cheat" as she explain to me to claim victory, afterwards she shifted her vengeance from him to me.'

The young man was now just a block or two away from the second location in this side trip of his. In back of his mind though he was partially thankful none of his online friends had spotted him. For he knew he'd never live it down if they did catch a glimpse of him, despite that he continued forward…

'To the surprise of us both we ended up helping one another on a quest. It was then that she told me to never allow myself to lose to anyone before she had a chance to fight me once more. I never forgot those words.'

'A short time later she who followed me who simply wanted me to acknowledge her fell out of consciousness, as I said it was the second time I would fail to protect someone. Afterwards I lost myself for a good while, no I didn't go on any sort of killing spree as I did when I originally lost _her_ but it was as if I was there but not all there whenever the others spoke to me.'

'A few weeks later I found myself at the Arena, felt that perhaps a few battles would help relive me of my mental stress. After a short number of confrontations she approached me.'

Pleased with his purchase, the youth nods his thanks as he receives the second item needed to complete this "quest". Thankfully for him it is already gifted wrapped, he was lucky to have remembered to call the shop the day before today, so with that said he wraps his left arm in and around it. Satisfied that this "side quest" is met and done he nods his thanks once more before exiting the rather busy candy shop…

'She confronted me and challenged me to a match just the two of us, I accepted and before I knew what was happening I was fighting her off as best I could. She had gotten stronger than when we last met but so had I. Yet as we continued to battle onward I felt something inside me give off a sense of freedom, as if all my problems were disappearing one after another and my sole focus was on defeating her. After so long I felt alive again.'

It was getting close to the appointment time, well in all honestly he still had some time left but he was never one to keep people waiting. So he continued to his final destination at a moderate pace. As he marched forward he came to notice the people near and far some going about their daily lives others like he himself caught up in the spirit of the holiday. He couldn't help but sigh to himself, just how had it all come to this? The "old" him wouldn't have been caught dead doing such a thing…

'We battled for who knows how long, honestly neither of us cared how long the battle had been going on the only thought in our minds was victory and nothing else. In the end I would be the one to claim victory once more, but this time it would be without any "outside interference". I struck her down with my own power and no one else's. She then accepted defeat haven fallen to my power not the one from before and while she wasn't exactly what I would call a friend I did extend my hand out to her in a form of respect, something I was rarely accustomed to doing.'

'To my surprise no witty backhanded comment escaped her lips, instead she took my hand and shook it proudly. Upon looking into her eyes they told me the whole story, I was her rival no longer and with this victory I had earned her deepest respect.'

'Afterwards I got a second surprise as a friend of mine confronted us and stated that he had seen the entire battle. While I didn't ask for how long it had gone on he told me our fight was amazing and if he could use the words of another of our companions "felt as if we were dancing with one another". A statement that brought a bit of shock out of me and somewhat of a blush out of her, it was the first time I ever saw her showcase that sort of emotion. Though I was sure she wanted to pound his face in just as much I did at the time. Regardless our bond started then and there.'

'As the days went on, I often came back to the Arena fought a few times then left but not before catching one of her fights and briefly chatting with her after the contest was over. Though more often then not it was her doing more of the talking than me not that it bothered her. Eventually I came to tell her about everything that happen to me and those around me, it took her by surprise then again I didn't expect her to simply shrug it off no one of sane mind would now that I think about it.'

'Despite that she told me she would be the one to break the curse, I didn't exactly know what she meant back then so I simply nodded in response. Our bond grew in strength as time flew onward. Whenever I found myself at wits end she was there, whenever it felt as if I was accomplishing nothing of value she was there, when I head to the hospital to visit _them_ she's there. Even now when I think of the harsh times I had with those around me in the past and the present she's been there, never once giving up on me.'

'Of course I was there for her as well, I wasn't a selfish punk who just relied on her strength and never returned the favor, no of course not I helped her out as best I could. I was there for her just as much as she was for me. When she told me of a saying she had read in a book once, she's a bit of a bookworm as I found out eventually, that went a something close to "_Behind every great man stands a great woman_" my Father's words came rushing back to my head.'

The boy rushing as best he could after he had been spotted by one of his online friends, who thankfully swore to keep quiet of the entire matter, sped past the various people in his way his destination just a few minutes away. As he turned the corner he caught site of the final location on his long and perilous journey, it was her favorite bookstore…

'I was never really any good with emotions, I always allowed my actions to do most of my talking, even more so after what happen with _her_ long ago. Yet she has stood beside me for several months now. I don't know how this came to happen and I sometimes wonder why she bothers to even stay with me…'

Catching his breath the youth notices her exit the building, her nose once again stuck within the pages of another novel belonging to "_Dark Tower_" series (property of one Steven King). In that moment she as if by instinct turns to face him, a rather surprised look playing on her face. The girl was so into her literature she failed to remember their scheduled appointment with one another.

The boy greets her kindly a bit of a snicker leaving his lips to which earns him a glare from her dark toned eyes. Regardless the male youth presents his gifts toward her, a cold nervous sweat dripping onto the back of his neck; he was never good with this sort of thing.

Despite that the girl takes them into her hands, her lips curving into a bright smile, before she gives him a gentle hug as best she can regardless of all the objects she is currently carrying…

'I sometimes wonder why she bothers to even stay with me…but now in this moment when she shows me her vast affection I come to realize and remember that she stays by my side because she wants to be one to insure the darkness that plagues me never reappears. She told me she would break the curse, she told me she would stay with me no matter what we faced…that we would face any and all troubles together…and perhaps that was all I ever really needed.'

'I was always told by my father that love in general was something you couldn't control, something you couldn't see coming, and much less prepare for even if you wanted to.'

As they stood there together the young couple prepares for their simple dinner date, her choice of location and he paying in full for them both, but before that the girl felt the need to say her thanks, as did the boy.

"Thank you so much, I love you and Happy Valentine's Day, Haseo!"

"Sure thing…and thank you for everything, Alkaid."

They then share the first warm and tender kiss of the evening, afterwards they begin to walk toward their new destination hand in hand, and the two twin blades know that they are bound together now and forever.

* * *

**A.N.** Well I hope I did alright with this, my apologizes for any out-of-character vibes from Haseo (I was aiming for a more emotional side than his usual "Terror of Death" personality) and despite knowing their real names I decided that their "in-game" names would be better suited for the ending. Anyway thanks to all who read this and drop a review afterwards, so with that said Happy Valentine's Day fellow Haseo/Alkaid (Yowkow) fans and to all .Hack fans in general as well. 


End file.
